Tidal wetlands restored north of Alivso

It was a dramatic scene at one South Bay salt pond Monday morning in what has been dubbed the largest tidal wetland restoration effort on the West Coast.

Around 10 a.m. Monday morning, excavators began digging away at the levee just north of the town of Alviso and after a few minutes, the levee broke, spilling water across the dry pond once used for commercial salt harvesting.

The project will immediately provide habitat for fish, birds and ultimately, marsh-dependent species such as the endangered Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse.